Miike Takashi’s “Hatsukoi” (First Love) is a film that retains its Miike style of violence and humor, but there is also a romance angle as well. Having watched this film multiple times now, I’ve not grown tired of it because it’s quite entertaining and if anything, I highly recommend this film!
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TITLE: åˆæ‹ (Hatsukoi) a.k.a. “First Love”
FILM RELEASE DATE: 2019
DURATION: 109 Minutes
DVD INFORMATION: Color, 16:9 Widescreen, Japanese and English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
COMPANY: Well Go USA Entertainment
RELEASED: February 11, 2020
Directed by Miike Takashi
Written by Nakamura Masa
Produced by Kii Muneyuki, Saka Misako, Jeremy Thomas
Music by Endo Koji
Cinematography by Kita Nobuyasu
Edited by Tanji Matsuo
Starring:
Kubota Masataka as Leo
Konishi Sakurako as Monica (Yuri)
Sometani Shota as Kase
Becky as Julie
Fujioka Mami as Chiachi
Miura Takahiro as Yasu
Murakami Jun as Ichikawa
Ohmori Nao as Otomo
Tuan Chun-hao as Fu
Uchino Seiyo as gondo
Yen Cheng-kuo as One-Armed Wang
When a duplicitous scheme by the low-level yakuza, Kase (Shota Sometani) goes hilariously wrong, a terminally ill boxer, Leo (Masataka Kubota), and a disturbed drug addicted call girl, Monica (Sakurako Konishi), find themselves innocently caught in the crosshairs of two warring gangs. Over the course of the increasingly ludicrous night, the two fall passionately in love, while the hail of bullets and blood fall quietly in the background. From prolific auteur Takashi Miike, this noir-tinged, violent yakuza film, is Miike at his most fun and anarchic.
Miike Takashi, director of “Ichi the Killer”, “Audition”, “13 Assassins”, “Blade of the Immortal” to name a few, is back with his latest film “Hatsukoi” (First Love).
Written by Nakamura Masa (“Sukiyaki Western Django”, “Andromedia”, “Dragon Head”), the film will be released on Blu-ray and DVD in North America courtesy of Well Go USA Entertainment.
The film is a dark romance comedy/crime film which Miike can deliver! The film has received rave reviews worldwide.
Leo (portrayed by Kubota Masataka, “Tokyo Ghoul”, “13 Assassins”, “Death Note” (TV series) is a boxer, who gets knocked out. When he meets with his doctor, he is told his has a brain tumor and is dying.
Monica/Yuri (portrayed by Konishi Sakurako, “Mio on the Shore”, “Fancy”) is a young woman who was sold by her father to pay off his debt, so now she is a sex slave addicted to drugs and often sees an illusion of a man chasing her. She is the slave of yakuza member Yasu (portrayed by Takahiro Miura) and his girlfriend Julie (portrayed by Becky).
Kase (portrayed by Sometani Shota, “Himizu”, “Parasyte”) is a young yakuza member that is pulling the strings of trying to create a gang war between the yakuza vs. the triad. And works with a crooked cop named Otomo (portrayed by Ohmori Nao).
Kase’s goal is to steal drugs, kill off his fellow yakuza members and blame the drug theft on Monica and say she is working with the Chinese triad. Otomo’s job is to hook up with Monica (and keep her out of site), while Kase steals the drugs, kills Yasu and has a Chinese man kill Julie.
And while the plan is initiated and Otomo is with Monica, she has her illusions of a man chasing after her, she screams for help which Leo hears and comes to her rescue and knocks out Otomo.
Feeling bad about Monica (who reveals to him that Yuri is her real name), the two end up staying out together, not knowing that the yakuza and triad are after her.
VIDEO & AUDIO:
“First Love” is presented in 2:35:1 aspect ratio. Most of the film is shot at night, but the overall picture quality is wonderful. I noticed no artifacts or any blemishes on video.
As for the soundtrack, included are the Japanese and English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtracks. I watched the film in both languages and while the Japanese is very good as expected, and I was wondering if I would be cringing on the English dub, I was surprised that the English dub was pretty good. Another film with English dub from Well Go USA Entertainment that is satisfactory!
But overall audio, dialogue and music are crystal clear. Action sequences and ambiance are heard through the surround channels.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“First Love” only comes with a trailer.
EXTRAS:
The film comes with both the Blu-ray and DVD version of the film.
I have watched “Hatsukoi” (First Love) probably eight times now, and I have not been disappointed.
For those who never watched a Miike Takashi film, you can expect humor and a lot of violence. And “First Love” is a film that delivers in both humor and violence.
For one, it can be seen as a dark romance comedy, not following the typical banality of two strangers who share a night as friends and discovering love, “First Love” is about a boxer and a drugged out girl, both have never had any real love.
Leo, the boxer had no parents and he fights with no true passion. Just fights, because that’s all he knows. And now he is told that he is dying and doesn’t have much time left.
Monica/Yuri was sold by her father to be a sex slave and has to make her money having sex with guys through online dating sites. She is often shot up with drugs which she uses to avoid memories of a man going after her. She was abused and continues to be abused and treated like a dog.
So, when these two by circumstance end up meeting each other, Leo who feels bad for her, wants to help her out. While Monica/Yuri is addicted to drugs but she confesses her feelings of wanting to escape it to Leo. And through their time together, as they face a multitude of danger as the Yakuza and Triad are after them, Leo looks at his life as doing something with a purpose, as he doesn’t have much time to live. So, why not protect this young woman who needs his help.
For me, as a viewer of Japanese cinema, it’s always interesting to see how actors Kubota Masataka and Sometani Shota have evolved as actors throughout the years.
It was also interesting to see the popular TV talent Becky return to entertainment, especially for this film after a scandal rocked her career in Japan. People get to see Becky not as the sweet roles that she tends to appear in but this time, she plays a woman who wants nothing but revenge. To see her in such a tough role, was rather interesting.
As mentioned, Miike Takashi films are violent. You will see multiple beheadings, body parts, death but in a way, it’s created as comedy. By no means, is it like an “Ichii the Killer” or “Audition” but the film is crafted as a crime film, with romance and comedy elements.
It’s actually quite awesome!
Overall, Miike Takashi’s “Hatsukoi” (First Love) is a film that retains its Miike style of violence and humor, but there is also a romance angle as well. Having watched this film multiple times now, I’ve not grown tired of it because it’s quite entertaining and if anything, I highly recommend this film!
PURCHASE THIS BLU-RAY ON AMAZON
